Are Men Pulling Their Weight Around the House?

Of the 756 married mothers who took our poll, 70 percent said they get the kids ready with no help from their husbands.

Of the 756 married mothers who took our poll, 70 percent said they get the kids ready with no help from their husbands. Mom as primary caregiver is a norm "even the most progressive partners still default to," says Toni Zimmerman, Ph.D., director of Family Studies at Colorado State University. "But one of the best ways to say 'I love you' is to take turns. Research shows that a key component of couple closeness is equality." You can divvy up chores by each taking the ones you dislike least. Or, consider Zimmerman's half-month plan: "You handle it all for two weeks, then he does the next two. That way the person in charge, and the kids, get into a groove, and the one who's off duty gets to enjoy a luxurious stretch of personal time."